St Augustine by Bike

Ride a bicycle
Try a bicycle
cycling is the only way to gooooooo.....

If any of our readers remember the British Fox (puppet) 'Basil Brush', who had a TV series for ages, you might remember this song.
I was singing it today, as I was riding along the sidewalk, fluro vest on, helmet on and enjoying every minute of it.:)

We finished the laundry this morning, first thing, hung it on the laundry lines over the cockpit deck and got the bikes down to make the trip into the middle of the Historic District of St Augustine.

First stop though....the Sailor's Exchange...just so we know what is there. Not that you could EVER know everything that is in one of these places. Talk about full up to busting with anything and everything boat related!!! Waz went in first, while I stayed outside with the bikes, as there really was nowhere to chain them up...and we have been told repeatedly not to leave them unlocked, around here.

The building next door was very decorative, to my photographers eye!

I kind of got pushed out of the way, when this truck arrived....with it's load of dinghy.

We crossed the river  that we are parked in, on the way along Kings Hwy, on the way into 'town.

 
All along Kings Hwy are wonderful Historic buildings. This huge fence is 'containing' the former Ponce De Leon Hotel, built by Henry Morrison Flagler, which is now Flagler College. It is simply stunning!!! The architecture is an interesting mix. The architectural detail is fabulous.

This is a scaled replica of the Spanish Palace, the Alhambra.

I'm not in favor of these horse drawn carriages...especially when the horses are kept in the burning sun all day, and it was HOT today. We had lots of sun screen on.
Here they are passing along Kings Hwy on the way into town, past the Flagler College, on the left.

The skyline is filled with these spires and domes...
We were told today that St Augustine is a VERY safe place to live, despite being so close to the Atlantic Ocean...they haven't had a Hurricane here since anyone can remember! I haven't checked this fact out, yet....YET!

This spire is on the former Ponce De Leon Hotel/Flagler College. Love the detail!

 Same place, more detail! How stunning is this!!??

The above hotel is called Casa Monica...of course:)

Lots of lovely trees, pretty parks, old homes and older homes, narrow cobbled/brick paths/streets et al.

Waz walking down one of the oldest streets which is original brick and humped in the middle, not surprisingly.

A private residence...Dilla Flora

and this lovely old pink home...

 

Fabulous wrought iron gates, balustrades etc

Little private courtyards...

Narrow streets with Oleander overhanging.

This was found on a lot for sale...whatever became of the house that was there?

A good use for old wellies!

...and these double frilly Amaryllis.. How stunning are these Candy Cane lilies?

One of the significant things we have noticed in Florida...no cats out roaming around...and certainly no dogs, either. These kitties were watching us from behind the screen on the window:)

This is what happens to you if you stay in Florida for too long....just kidding!! kind of:)

 

The Oldest House!!

Another lovely courtyard...

Waiting for the train tour to go past. The Florida National Guard HQ is on the right

 St Francis Barracks....HQ for National Guard, Florida, right on the waterfront.

Another waterfront building.

The whole of the southern waterfront is being re-landscaped

Old waterfront homes

Galleons everywhere. The one in the foreground takes tourists up the river, sightseeing.

We eventually stopped long enough, on our ride, to get some lunch, about 1.30pm. We had enjoyed a latte earlier, when we stopped to look in an art gallery, and were told to go to the Chocolate Factory next door, for our coffee.
This restaurant was recommended by a passing tour guide, as having the best seafood. I guess it is subjective! I wasn't too impressed with the dry mahimahi, and Waz said his French fries had no flavor...hmm...

 We sat out under the pergola covered in Jasmine, thankful for getting out of the sun. He did eventually take his fluro vest off! I am going to sew a NZ flag to the back of this one:)

  After lunch we biked to the top of the Lions Bridge, which crosses the Matanzas River...also the ICW

This is the outer Galleon...look at the detail on this ship!!

The Lions Bridge, which is lovely, also.

We have to go under this bridge on our way north...I think we will ask them to raise it!! not tall enough. We really need min 22 ft right now.

And then we somehow found ourselves in the middle of tourist town...but that will have to wait for tomorrow...the internet is crummy, as I think I have said, so the photos take forever to up and download. Time for bed...11.35pm! Night Night.